The award winner will be decided by a joint awards committee of the South Carolina Bar Foundation and the South Carolina Access to Justice Commission. The award will be jointly presented at the South Carolina Bar Foundation Gala, to be held on Saturday, January 24, 2015.

Earlier today, Shannon Willis Scruggs, the Executive Director of the South Carolina Bar Foundation, and I made our annual surprise site visit to the South Carolina Legal Services (SCLS) office where the Ellen Hines Smith Legal Services Attorney of the Year receives their surprise notice of the honor.

He has been employed in the Columbia SCLS office for more than 5 years. Jack serves as the lead employment attorney and provides guidance and case reviews of employment cases throughout the organization. But Jack’s caseload is not limited to employment; Jack also helps with evictions, housing, domestic violence, consumer protection, public benefits, education, and elder law.

Jack developed an expungement clinic protocol that includes a PowerPoint presentation, a brochure, and assistance with the SC Access to Justice Commission’s Expungement and Pardons FAQs.

What do co-workers say about Jack E. Cohoon?

“His polite demeanor and droll wit create a wonderful rapport between him and his clients.”

“Jack is a truly exceptional young attorney who has made a substantial statewide impact on the scope and effectiveness of SCLS’s representation to the benefit of all low income South Carolinians.”

“Jack’s work ethic is one of the best at SCLS. He is on the job and eager for work every day.”

“His calm, even demeanor has made him a favorite with attorneys within and outside of SCLS. Indeed, his glowing reputation extends to opposing counsel as well.”

“He is never temperamental and willingly accepts supervision, suggestions and criticism.”

From a client:

“. . . Jack Cohoon did me a great service with the case that I brought to him. I don’t know that if I had had the money to pay a lawyer they could have done a better service for me.”

From the Workforce Investment Area re: expungement clinics:

“Jack was the perfect partner to work with. He exhibited compassion and patience that was very evident and sincere to the workshop attendees. Many stayed after the sessions to speak with him personally . . . He provided hope for some who felt they had exhausted every avenue. . . . Jack is a true treasure as he will always avail himself to help get information and services to the community. . . . I appreciate the professionalism which Jack presents to a hurting and sometimes angry audience and look forward to the opportunity to work with him again.”

It’s easy to see why Jack is the recipient of this year’s Ellen Hines Smith Attorney of the Year award.

If you would like to see Jack receive the award, please join us at the South Carolina Bar Foundation Gala on Saturday, January 21, 2012 at the Columbia Metropolitan Convention Center. The reception begins at 6:30 p.m. and dinner will be served at 7:30 p.m. Individual tickets are $100 and table sponsorships start at $1,200. Please contact Shannon Scruggs at shannon.scruggs@scbar.org or (803) 765-0517 for more information.

Susan was surprised as her other Florence office-mates, Andrea Loney (SCLS‘ Executive Director) and we gathered in her office to make the announcement.

In support letters, Florence attorneys were impressed by Susan’s professionalism and with her legal acumen, even citing a Workers Compensation case that was heard at the Supreme Court of South Carolina. Others noted her enthusiasm and hard work to ensure delivery of legal services to the low-income community in the Pee Dee.